Ken Borland

The Perth Stadium is one of the nicest ‘offices’ for fast bowlers to work in and the pacemen of both the South African and Indian teams should enjoy themselves in their T20 World Cup match there on Sunday.

The pitch at the Perth Stadium is meant to be similar to the famous WACA, the previous prime cricket venue in Western Australia, having used soil from that historic stadium. The WACA was famous as the quickest and bounciest pitch in world cricket up until about 10 years ago, and the venue has shown encouraging signs so far in the T20 World Cup, with 24 of the 40 wickets to fall there going to the pacemen.

South Africa and India have two of the best pace attacks in world cricket, so it is going to be hard work for batsmen. In fact, the winner of the match could come down to which batting line-up copes best with the barrage.

Due to the big boundaries, spinners have also been able to display their wares with some success at the Perth Stadium.

India are currently at the top of Group II with four points from two wins in two games, while South Africa and Zimbabwe are behind them on three points.

The Proteas’ remaining games are against India on Sunday and then Pakistan and the Netherlands next week. If they can beat either India or Pakistan, as well as the Netherlands, then they would finish on seven points and only Zimbabwe could catch them, provided their neighbours beat Bangladesh and the Netherlands.

While South Africa would ordinarily be considered almost certain to beat the Netherlands, one probably should not bet one’s house on it given the spectacular upsets that have been seen in this T20 World Cup so far.

Zimbabwe beating Pakistan by one run is a match that will remain in the memory banks for a long time, and beating Bangladesh and the Netherlands is certainly a possibility for them. Their other remaining match is against India, and it might be stretching optimism a bit too far for them to win that outing.

South Africa have made a hash of handling the Bangladesh bowling half-a-dozen times in ODIs, but centurion Rilee Rossouw said for him the big difference on Thursday, when they hammered the subcontinent team by 104 runs in their T20 World Cup match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, was how well they played the spinners.

Rossouw thoroughly dominated the bowling in stroking a tremendous 109 off just 56 balls, and it was almost totally thanks to him and Quinton de Kock (63 off 38) that the Proteas managed to post a formidable 205/5 after electing to bat first.

A slick bowling display, led by Anrich Nortje (3.3-0-10-4) and Tabraiz Shamsi (4-0-20-3), then ensured South Africa wrapped up the win in clinical fashion by bowling Bangladesh out for just 101 in the 17^th over. They therefore successfully negotiated a team that has caused them World Cup embarrassment before – at Providence in 2007 and The Oval in 2019. The Proteas also batted poorly in series defeats to Bangladesh on the 2015 tour and at Centurion earlier this year.

“Taskin Ahmed was shaping the ball up front, he bowled nicely to Temba Bavuma (2), while The Fizz [Mustafizur Rahman] is world-class, a definite threat who you just have to play as you see it,” Rossouw said after his second successive T20 International century, a unique feat amongst Full Member teams.

“But what we did really well was to take on the spin. We took charge, we wanted to control that area of the game and we did that well. It definitely helped me that I played for three years in the Bangladesh Premier League and was the leading run-scorer twice, so there was nothing too unfamiliar out there today.

“I’ve definitely improved playing against spin because I’ve played a lot in the subcontinent – in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Dubai. I’m much more comfortable against spin than I was in my twenties. Being in pressure situations on pitches that are turning has made me a better player,” Rossouw said.

A top-class innings by the left-hander brought a spontaneous display of emotion when he reached his hundred off just 52 deliveries.

“This is really close to my heart and I’m just every chuffed, to do this on the main stage, at the World Cup,” Rossouw said. “Sometimes things go for you and this year has been an unbelievable rollercoaster ride for me.

“I’m so happy sitting here now, I never even thought about it being possible 12 months ago. I am a very passionate man, and to get across the line meant a lot to me and my family back home.

“It’s been amazing to play for South Africa again, when you give up the right to play for your country, you expect that to be your last chance. So I will cherish every moment.

“It’s been a great journey, a long journey, and hopefully it’s not finished yet. I hope I have another opportunity to do well in this World Cup,” Rossouw said.

Just 52 balls was enough time for Rilee Rossouw to spend at the crease to notch a dazzling century and lead South Africa to a comprehensive 104-run victory over Bangladesh in their T20 World Cup match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Rossouw proved his world-class credentials with 109 off just 56 balls, an innings of sheer class, skill and power, with the left-hander hitting seven fours and eight sixes to set South Africa up for a formidable score of 205/5. Coming in to bat in the second over, Rossouw found fifth gear quickly and showed his boundary-hitting prowess as well as some clever innovation on the touch-shots.

Having won the toss and elected to bat – surprisingly, given the rain around – South Africa lost Temba Bavuma (2) at the end of the first over. The embattled captain shaped to come down the pitch to Taskin Ahmed, but then just fended at an away-swinger and was caught behind.

But a free-scoring Quinton de Kock and Rossouw hardly skipped a beat though as they added 163 in 13.3 overs, the second-highest partnership in T20 World Cup history, just behind the 166 the legendary Sri Lankan pair of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara put on against the West Indies in Bridgetown in 2010.

De Kock blazed 63 off just 38 balls in another great display, showing more of the surgeon’s touch as he stroked seven fours and three sixes, and used a variety of sweeps to great effect.

De Kock’s dismissal at 170/2 with five-and-a-half overs left saw South Africa go into their shells a bit as just 35 runs were scored off the last 33 balls. Rossouw took fewer risks as he approached his century, becoming the first batsman from a Full Member nation to score back-to-back T20 International hundreds, something not even Chris Gayle managed. His hundred was also South Africa’s first in the T20 World Cup.

The pitch was also slowing down and Bangladesh fought back superbly with the ball.

But their chase was almost all over bar the shouting by the end of Anrich Nortje’s first two overs as he removed both openers, Soumya Sarkar (15) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (9), in the third over and then trapped Shakib al-Hasan lbw for a single in the fifth over to leave Bangladesh 39/3.

Nortje then returned to knock over Taskin’s rook for 10 to finish with magnificent figures of 4/10 in three-and-a-half overs, Bangladesh being all out for a paltry 101.

Before that, wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi enjoyed his return to form, taking 3/20 in his four overs.

Quinton de Kock was again in great free-scoring form, but Rilee Rossouw said “watch me!” as he plundered a magnificent century to set South Africa up for a formidable score of 205/5 in their T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Rossouw proved his world-class credentials with 109 off just 56 balls, an innings of sheer class, skill and power, with the left-hander hitting seven fours and eight sixes. Coming in to bat in the second over, Rossouw found fifth gear quickly and showed his boundary-hitting prowess as well as some clever innovation on the touch-shots.

Having won the toss and elected to bat – surprisingly, given the rain around – South Africa lost Temba Bavuma (2) at the end of the first over. The embattled captain shaped to come down the pitch to Taskin Ahmed, but then just fended at an away-swinger and was caught behind.

De Kock and Rossouw hardly skipped a beat though as they added 163 in 13.3 overs, the second-highest partnership in T20 World Cup history, just behind the 166 the legendary Sri Lankan pair of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara put on against the West Indies in Bridgetown in 2010.

De Kock blazed 63 off just 38 balls in another thrilling display, showing more of the surgeon’s touch as he stroked seven fours and three sixes, and used a variety of sweeps to great effect.

At 170/2 with five-and-a-half overs left when De Kock lofted off-spinner Afif Hossain to long-off, one would have expected South Africa to post at least 230. You can forgive Rossouw for taking fewer risks as he approached his century, becoming the first batsman from a Full Member nation to score back-to-back T20 International hundreds, something not even Chris Gayle managed.

But valuable momentum just leaked from the innings, with the pitch also slowing down and Bangladesh fighting back superbly with the ball. Just 35 runs were scored off the last 33 balls as the Proteas also lost Tristan Stubbs (7) and Aiden Markram (10), neither of whom were able to score at more than a run-a-ball.

David Miller and Wayne Parnell were the batsmen at the crease at the end of the innings and they could only score two runs off six deliveries.

Left-armer Mustafizur Rahman was superb, conceding just 25 runs in his four overs, while Hasan Mahmud and left-arm spinner Shakib al-Hasan were also excellent at the death.